Depictions of drug use and hip hop culture may prevent the "The Wackness" from resonating with all audiences, but under the surface is a film with heart and a worthwhile message. Writer/director Jonathan Levine wowed crowds earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival with this coming of age film starring Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Framke Janssen, Method Man, and Mary-Kate Olsen.
Newcomer Josh Peck stars as Luke Shapiro, a drug dealing high-schooler who receives counseling from a middle-aged pot-smoking psychiatrist Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley). Payment for these therapy sessions comes in the form of marijuana, which provides an initial bond between Squires and Shapiro that leads to their eventual friendship.
Amidst Shapiro's search to find himself, deal with his loneliness, and find love (ironically with Squire's daughter) Shapiro ends up confiding in his drug-consuming client/shrink, which leads Dr. Squires to depend right back on his trusted friend.
"The Wackness" is a story bound together with a musical collage of De La Soul, Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, and several other classic hip hop artists (including Method Man who plays Luke's large scale weed distributor), setting the stage for New York City in 1994.
While giving a nostalgic tip of the hat to hip-hop of old, and a regular rhythm of laugh out loud comedic moments, "The Wackness" is a raw reminder of the loneliness of humanity, as this theme is reflected in the actions of all the main characters. It also demonstrates how childlike we can be despite our age. Squires and Shapiro both long for love and attention; however, they try to supplement these voids within their lives through dysfunctional means.
What is compelling about "The Wackness" is that director Jonathan Levine invites the audience to experience this first-hand. Exceptional script-writing, combined with performances by Kingsley and Peck, pulls the audience into Levine's world to experience the pain of his characters. Their flaws are fully exposed for us to see.
There's no doubt "The Wackness" will be one of the summer's sleeper hits.
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